While true orange cacti are hard to come by, you can achieve the same effect with various “orange” cactus varieties such as moon cactus or cactus that has orange flowers. Read on for more specific ideas.
Types of Orange Cactus
Moon cactus isn’t actually a true orange cactus, but in fact, a regular green, columnar cactus with a colorful, ball-shaped cactus grafted on top. This collectible little plant, also known as Hibotan or ball cactus, is often grown on sunny windowsills. While orange is one of the most popular in orange cactus varieties, moon cactus is also available in vibrant shades of vivid pink or bright yellow. Moon cactus with red tops are sometimes tagged as Ruby Ball or Red Cap.
Cactus with Orange Flowers
Cleistocactus (Cleistocactus icosagonus): Cleistocactus is a type of tall, columnar cactus with shiny golden spines. If conditions are just right, Cleistocactus provides interesting lipstick-shaped blooms of bright orange red.
Desert Gem (Opuntia rufida): Desert Gem is a small variety of prickly pear cactus with miniature pads and vibrant orange blooms.
Orange Snowball (Rebutia muscula): Orange Snowball is a popular, easy-to-grow cactus with fuzzy white spines and brilliant orange blooms.
Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii): This plant provides masses of showy orange flowers around the winter holidays. Christmas cactus is also available in shades of salmon, red, fuchsia, yellow, white, and pink. It is grown indoors in all but the warmest climates.
Parodia (Parodia nivosa): Parodia is a rounded cactus with white spines and brilliant orange-red flowers that bloom in spring. This cactus is also known as Golden Star.
Crown cactus (Rebutia marsoneri): Crown cactus is a slow-growing, rounded cactus that produces big, orange-red blooms in spring.
Claret Cup cactus (Echinocereus spp.) Claret cup cactus displays stunning orange or red flowers in spring. This small, barrel-shaped cactus is also known as scarlet or crimson hedgehog.
Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri): Easter cactus produces lots of bright orange, star-shaped flowers for several weeks every spring. The star-shaped blooms open at sunrise and close at sundown. The Easter cactus is usually grown indoors.
Red Tom Thumb cactus: Red Tom Thumb (Parodia comarapana) is a cute little globe-shaped cactus that produces cherry red or orange flowers in spring and summer.
